In the classic Japanese novel, Tale of Genji, one of Genji’s lovers, Yuugao, dies because of a jealous curse placed on her. Back then, they really believed evil thoughts could kill!
The Carpe Diem’s Distillation challenge is to distill a haiku in reference to the selected text below.
As Genji mourns the loss of Yuugao while “looking at the smoke from the pyre…” he recited his thoughts.
Chevrefeuille writes:
“It is important to know…Yuugao’s name means ‘Evening Faces.’ Therefore, Genji’s reference to ‘being deeply intimate with the evening sky’ refers to the love he shared with Yuugao.“
The evening sky itself
Becomes something to cherish
When I gaze at it,
Seeing in one of the clouds
The smoke from her funeral pyre
::: ::: ::: :::
majestic prayers –
rises to meet the full moon
under falling stars
::: ::: ::: ::::
Carpe Diem Library:
- Burning pyre Haiku (howanxious.wordpress.com)
- Distillation (genesmusings.com)
- Carpe Diem’s Tan Renga: Just a Kiss (readinpleasure.wordpress.com)
- Carpe Diem #300, Matsuyoi (Waiting Evening) (artifactsandfictions.wordpress.com)
- Harvest Moonrise ~ for Carpe Diem Mid Autumn Kigo #301, Meigetsu (harvest moon, the full moon of September) – Haiga (19planets.wordpress.com)
- Waiting Evening Haiku (howanxious.wordpress.com)
- Carpe Diem Haiku – Hidden Places (teawithapirate.wordpress.com)
- “the swing of the gate” – a Tan Renga affair… (seraphim6.me)
